Aaron and Andrew to release new CD

"It requires a lot of work and patience to try and make a career out of playing music, but to us, there's nothing else that we'd rather do. Plus, we were never good at math."

Ruiz and his band mates �-- Andrew Hansen, Brian Somma, and Jai Ashford �-- will hold a CD release party on Sunday, Nov. 2. It's at The Red Door, at 675 Main St. in Watertown.

"Pictures and Words" is the band's follow-up to 2006's well-received "Don't Go."

"Our music goes from floor thumping rock to acoustic guitar ballads," Ruiz explained. As for Nov. 2, "I would say that we're putting on a fun rock show."

The release party is yet another evolution for the band, according to Ruiz. "When we first started the band it was just the two of us, and we played mostly coffee shops and listening rooms, along with a ton of Borders Bookstores."

While he admits those days were fun, he said the intimate venues, while "great," couldn't "give the audience the same impact that our full band album could offer."

Now that they're a four-piece band, he said "larger venues are great because it allows us to give the audience the full instrumental experience that they would get from listening to the CD."

Ruiz said the band's music is pop rock -- drawing comparisons to Snow Patrol, Third Eye Blind and John Mayer. "We like accessible music, so we write accessible music," he said.

"All four of us as a band have a wide variety of musical influences that we bring to the table when we're putting together the songs, but our goal is always to create something that a lot of people can connect with."

Pierce Pettis will perform tunes off his newest album, "That Kind of Love," and more on Sunday, Oct. 26 at 4 p.m. at Temple Shearith Israel at 46 Peaceable St. in Ridgefield. Pettis is playing as part of "the Acoustic Celebration."

Tickets are $15, and can be purchase at Ridgefield Music at 19 Governor St. or via www.acousticcelbration.org. Tickets are $20 at the door.

Chuck full of hits, more

Chuck Mangione, the Grammy-winning "godfather of smooth jazz," will perform at The Ridgefield Playhouse at 80 East Ridge tonight at 8 p.m. Tickets are $65. VIP packages are available.

The next evening, The New Riders of the Purple Sage will perform at 8 p.m. Tickets are $45. For more info, call 438-5795 or visit www.ridgefieldplayhouse.org.

Flagpole back

"The Flagpole Radio Caf�," an engaging mix of music and radio-style comedy, will be performed tonight at 8 at the Alexandria Room in Edmond Town Hall. That's at 45 Main St. in Newtown.

Tickets are $10 ($5 for seniors and students 13 and under). For tickets, call 364-0898.

The Kennedys will perform their uptempo folk music Saturday at the Good Folk Coffeehouse in Rowayton. It's at Rowayton United Methodist Church at 5 Pennoyer St. There's a $25 donation at the door. For more info, visit www.kennedysmusic.com.

Stars align at Heirloom

Heirloom Arts Theatre, at 155 Main St. in Danbury, is jam packed with music this week, starting Saturday at 7 p.m. (doors open at 6 p.m.) with a $15 show ($13 in advance) consisting of Copeland, Lovedrug, Lydia and Lights.

On Monday at 9 p.m. (doors open an hour earlier), One for the Team and Darwin Deez will play. Admission is $8.

On Sunday the Marc Shamasian Quartet will perform from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Pizzeria Lauretano, at 291 Greenwood Ave. in Bethel. There is a $5 cover plus a $10 minimum during the music. Reservations are recommended. For more info, call (203) 792-1500.

Caf� weekend

A special benefit concert in support of the Women's Resource Center kicks off the entertainment this weekend at the Towne Crier Caf� in Pawling, N.Y. "A Woman's Voice: Singing For Our Lives" begins tonight at 8:30. All proceeds go to the Putnam/Northern Westchester Women's Resource Center.

The next night, Saturday, Grammy-nominated Bill Kirchen and the Hammer of Honky-Tonk Gods will perform at 9 p.m. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door.

Lastly, on Sunday at 8 p.m., the California Guitar Trio will take the stage. Tickets are $25 in advance or $30 at the door. For more info on any of the shows, visit www.townecrier.com.

WestConn Coffeehouse

On Thursday, Oct. 30 at 9 p.m., faculty and staff from Western Connecticut State University will showcase their talents as part of The Midtown Coffeehouse series on WestConn's midtown campus, at 181 White St. in Danbury. For more info, call (203) 837-9700.

Want your show to be considered for Backstage Pass? Are you a local artist who wants to be profiled? Send an e-mail with all pertinent information about the band and the gig to Jon Chattman at jonrockon@aol.com by Friday at noon for consideration.